Justice News

Bridgeport Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal Prison Drug and Gun Offenses

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN BOHANNON, 28, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 160 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2012, the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, Bridgeport Police Department and Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force began an investigation into narcotics trafficking and violent criminal activity in and around the Trumbull Gardens housing complex in Bridgeport. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Ronell Hanks, also known as “Biz” and “Ace,” headed an organization that sold heroin and crack cocaine 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Hanks regularly suppled BOHANNON with cocaine, which BOHANNON then “cooked” into crack and sold it to others.

BOHANNON was arrested on December 5, 2013. At the time of his arrest, BOHANNON was in possession of more than 300 grams of cocaine, four handguns and 131 rounds of ammunition.

On December 18, 2013, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging Hanks, BOHANNON and 12 other individuals with a variety of narcotics and firearms trafficking offenses.

BOHANNON has been detained since his arrest. On May 11, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 280 grams of cocaine base (“crack”) and 500 grams of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

Hanks pleaded guilty and, on February 25, 2015, was sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, in coordination with the Bridgeport Police Department, the Trumbull Police Department and the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield assisted this investigation and prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.